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OUR V/ORLD 



ADDRESSED- 



To every thoughtful person who has seen the Falls 
or who desires to see them. 



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PUBLISHED 

AT 

TOPEKA, KANSAS 



Single copy, 2S cents; five copies for $1.00, post- 
paid. 

For additional copies address C. E. POND, Lock 
Box 414, Topeka, Kansas. 



U5 



THE FALLS OF NIAGARA 



<3-^^s^ OUR '--r: c 



School of Sublimity, 



sxB Y>s. 






Addressed to every thoughtful person who has seen 
Niagara, or who desires to see it. 






TOPEKA, KANSAS. 
Copyright, 1888, by C. E. POND. 



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Sublime Siagara 



INTRODUCTION. 

God made but one Niagara for this great world of ours. 

Niagara proper includes not only the stupendous Waterfall, 
but many miles of life-like river. These waters are more in- 
teresting and instructive than waters elsewhere, because they 
have more motion and hence more real life. Things in mo- 
tion are always more attractive than things at rest. 

In order to get, for ourselves and for others, the greatest 
amount of useful knowledge from this sublime school of live 
waters, we must visit it many times and spend many days in 
a thoughtful and childlike state of receptivity. To try, as 
many do, to ''take in Niagara in one day," is like trying to 
eat food enough at one meal to last a lifetime. In case it is nol 
thought possible to spend but one day at the Falls, spend it 
mainly at some one important point. Familiarize yourself with 
every particular. Look it over again and again, and from as 
many different standpoints as possible. Compare distances, 
quantities, colors and the like, until you can carry away a correct 
and lasting impression of this one special place. Thoughtful 
persons visit the Falls not so much for temporary pleasure as 
for permanent soul culture. Not simply to be able to say, 
"I have seen the great Niagara," .but to become better ac- 
quainted with Niagara's great Creator. 



4 SUBLIME NIAGARA. 

First Lesson. 

Is is well for the student of sublimity, and of consequent 
humility, to take his first great lesson on Goat Island. Pass 
leisurely over the long iron bridge that spans the rapids on 
the American side. Turn to the right and walk entirely 
around the Island, a distance of about one and one-fourth 
miles, stopping at all points of interest. Study the "Rapids 
above the Falls" from all available places, more especially 
along the west shore. Near the upper end of Goat Island 
pause a long time at the " Tliree Sister Islands." In many 
places among these charming little islands, the water seems 
literally alive and wild with delight. 

Goat Island divides the river and the Falls into two distinct 
parts, called the yVmerican Fall and the Horseshoe Fall. And 
the entire waters of Niagara River, quickened by the long 
swift rapids above, pour smoothly and gracefully over both 
falls even with the lower end of Goat Island. From the edge 
of the shelving rocks, on this and Luna Island, can be found 
abundant opportunities for looking directly down upon the 
eager going waters as they calmly plunge into the great gulf 
below. 

Goat Island is thickly covered with timber, and contains 
land enough for a Targe New England Farm. Luna Island is 
on the American side of Goat Island and contains something 
over one acre. These two islands are separated by a very 
rapid stream of water, from two to four feet deep, and about 
one hundred feet wide. This narrow stream rushes over with 
such speed and momentum, that it curves out about forty feet 
before it strikes the jagged rocks, one hundred and sixty feet 
below. There is also a corresponding opposite curve, about 
the same distance back under the rocks, behind this narrow 
portion of the Falls. This forms the famous " Cave of the 
Winds." And from this hollow cave, Niagara's great base- 



SUBLIME NIAGARA. 5 

vial, come those frequent notes of heavy thunder, ever to be 
heard within and beneath the steady roar of the Falls. And 
no one can ever fully appreciate the sublime musical roar of 
Niagara, with a base like '^ seven thunders," until he has 
passed through this terrific Cave of the Winds. Nor can he 
elsewhere behold three complete circular rainbows in one 
concentric series. To see these rainbows in perfection, enter 
the cave at about two o'clock in the afternoon when the sun 
is shining brightly. 

Second Lesson. 

After completing your first visit to Goat Island, enter that 
small and beautiful i)ark at the point of the Falls, as it were, 
on the American side. Here you can spend many peaceful and 
profitable hours in profound study. And here, too, children 
even, are sometimes seen sitting quietly alone, praising God 
in silent wonder. 

Third Lesson. 

From within this park near Prospect point, pass down the 
Inclined Railway to the water's edge below, and take passage 
on the *' New Maid of the Mist." Fvery half-hour this nice 
little steamer goes rocking through the rainbows along the 
American Fall, passing as far up into the stormy splashings of 
the Horseshoe Fall as possible. (This rare and exquisite view 
of the baby steamer among the rainbows can be taken from 
the brow of Luna Island ) It presses its way up to where 
the driven current is so strong, and the foaming water so full 
of air, that the wheel has no power to carry it farther. This 
steamer, as we were told by the engineer, cannot possibly get 
within several hundred yards of that great fleecy mountain of 
overhanging and down-coming water. 



6 SUBLIME NIAGARA. 

Fourth Lesson. 

This steamer serves also as a ferry across the agitated river 
just below the Falls. And no one should fail to spend one 
whole day or more on the Canadian side. While there climb 
quite a high hill up to the Michigan Central Railroad track and 
look down into what is called the "Steaming Crater" of the 
Horseshoe Fall, This rare point of view can also be reached, 
and with much less personal fatigue, by taking the cars around 
by the Whirlpool Rapids, over the Michigan Central Canta- 
lever Bridge, so famous for its great strength. 

Fifth Lesson. 

While on the Canadian shore near the steamboat landing, 
select a comfortable seat among the rocks, and take a compre- 
hensive view of both falls as they pour down before you in two 
vast sheets of dazzleing whiteness. Nowhere is there a general 
view of the falls equal to this. Passengers on the Maid of the 
Mist can at any time stopover a trip or two, lay off their robes 
of oilcloth, and enjoy this supreme view of the Falls. The 
glaring sheet of water that pours over the American Fall is 
probably two to four feet thick ; but where it plunges over in 
the central portion of the Horseshoe Fall, and for one quar- 
ter of a mile or more in extent, it is thought to be ten to twenty 
feet thick. 

As these hurrying waters come tumbling and dashing over 
the Rapids for a long distance above the Falls, as they pour 
down upon the rocks one hundred and sixty-four feet below 
along the American Fall, and as they plunge into the deep 
water one hundred and fifty-eight feet below along the Horse- 
shoe Fall, they pass through a most stupendous cleansing pro- 
cess. They are literally driven, beaten, and beaded into acres 
upon acres of heaping foam, snow white and glossy. This, to 
be appreciated, must be seen through storms of dashing spray 



SUBLIME NIAGARA. 7 

from the dripping deck of the little steamer. Much of this 
beautiful foam eventually floats gracefully down the river in 
ribbon like scroll work. 

Below the Falls these deep waters now seven times purified, 
commingle fondly and triumphantly. They joyfully roll and 
inter-roll, blend and inter-blend, in peculiar shades of dark 
watery blue, and bright emerald green, and with a living 
beauty that no pen can describe nor artist imitate. Their pe- 
culiar colors on, and just below the Falls, are undoubtedly due 
somewhat to their unusual purity, but more especially to the 
unusual amount of air they now contain. 

Sixth Lesson. 

From Prospect Point pass through Picnic Park to the end 
of the new Suspension bridge. This is a superb piece of hu- 
man workmanship, and is used for carriages and pedestrians 
only. Walk out to the center, and while you quietly swing in 
puny insignificance about half way between the clouds above 
and the waters beneath, spend an hour or more in viewing and 
studying the sublime wonders of Divine workmanship below. 

Seventh Lesson. 

From the end of this bridge on the American side, pass be- 
low the paper mills and along the beautiful banks of the river 
on foot ( the better way, ) or take a street car down to the 
Whirpool Rapids, about two miles below. The Whirlpool it- 
self is still a mile or more below the Rapids. As you approach 
the Rapids from the high banks above, take a calm, compre- 
hensive view of the whole scene below and be thankful for the 
privilege. The elevator will now carry you down to within a 
short walk of those irrepressible and soul-stiring Rapids, Here 
you can meditate in wonder, love and praise at your utmost 
liesure. 



8 SUBLIME NIAGARA. 

On the opposite bank of the river stands a two-story frame 
house on a high foundation. But those immense waves in the 
center of the river, always plumed in white, will frequently 
surprise you by rising and dashing sufficiently high to obscure 
the view of that house. 

From the Falls down to these Whirlpool Rapids, the river 
moves slowly and majestically low down in the grandest grove 
ever carved in this rocky earth by falling water. 

And every person who visits Niagara should understand, that 
all views here are liable to great and essential changes. Every 
strong north east vAnd drives the water in Lake Erie west- 
ward and this decreases its flow at the Falls. A wind down 
the lake increases that flow. And a difference of one inch on 
the brow of the Falls is said to make a difference of one foot 
below the Falls, The writer himself has observed changes, 
jiist below the Falls, of five or six feet within a few hours. 
This, of course, somewhat affects the appearance of the Whirl- 
pool Rapids, and of all other parts of Niagara. 

At the Rapids the river is very narrow, and falls some forty 
or fifty feet during its short passage through. Every thing that 
floats through these Rapids follows the center of the river. And 
the vitalized water itself shuns the "ragged edges" and press- 
es fondly toward the center until it actually rounds up several 
feet as it goes rolling, tumbling and dancing along down into 
that large rock-bound basin known as the Whirlpool. This 
turns the water suddenly backwards to the right and left. On 
the right is the narrow outlet ; on the left the rapid backward 
flow meets the more rapid downward flow, and this causes 
many large eddies or small whirpools. These are clearly dis- 
cernable from the high banks above. The frequent tunnels or 
whirlpools formed here by these opposing waters, possess suf- 
ficient power in their rapid inward and downward motion, to 
speedily draw under whatever comes within the sweep of any 
one large vortex. It was once the writers privilege to witness 



SUBLIME NIAGARA 9 

the peculiar movements of a large saw-log floating in these 
active waters. At times it would pass entirely out of sight, 
then suddenly jump straight up endwise, half its length or more 
out of water. Whole trees are sometimes seen passing through 
similar movements. 



Eighth Lesson. 

While near the Whirlpool do not fail to go dowu its stony 
banks, three hundred and fifty feet, to that marvelous Outlet. 
Seat yourself quietly on the rocks at the very brink, and be 
not surprised to find, wliat you probably cannot find elsewhere 
on this round earth, that your own eyes are several feet lower 
than the smooth surface of the rushing water just a few rods to 
your left. And in spell-bound an>azement, you may behold 
here the swift waters of the great Niagara River all compressed 
by rocky fastnesses, into the very narrow space of three hundred 
feet, and going through on a smooth and regular slant, in one 
grand eternal rush for several hundred feet, before they sweep 
down into those huge breakers below. This unparalleled 
mirror of rushing water, is said to be over four hundred feet 
deep. It reflects all surrounding colors, and seems to be in a 
perpetual blush of meekness and heavenly beauty. No view 
at Niagara is more fa^inating and inspiring than this ; yet, 
comparatively few ever take the trouble to go down and see it. 

Concluding Lesson. 

This mighty Cataract of Niagara, with its many miles of 
quickened waters, impressed the writer on approaching it the 
fifth time, ( thirty-eight years after his first visit,) more forcibly 
than ever before, with its vitalized powc7' a?id its eternity of 
motion. 



lo SUBLIME NIAGARA. 

Day and night, summer and winter, year after year and age 
after age, it never pauses one moment to rest, never ceases to 
roar and pour, to dash and crash, to drive on and plunge down, 
to jar and mar the solid earth, to wear and tear the rocks be- 
neath, to teach and preach eternal truth, to rhyme and chime 
its majestic melodies, to sound off and bound up, to leap high 
and sweep by, to rush smoothly and blush beautifully, to 
chide the reckless^ warn the careless and charm the timid. At 
times it seems to sound forth the high praises of God, and to 
gaze down upon you with intense brightness and deep mean- 
ing. It falls in pondrous and incomprehensible masses every 
hour, and never stops calling its thoughtful admirers to come 
where they can behold a piece of Divine Architecture, that 
will lead them to actually /^^/ their own littleness, and to ac- 
tually ;r^//s6'the greatness and goodness of their infinite Creator. 

In trying to give still more appropriate expression to this 
eternity of motion and this divinely vitalized power, we will 
now sing in rythmical measures, 



A New Hymn 



-TO- 



OUR DEAR Old Niagara 



( As we approach it the fifth time.) 

Roar on, roar on thou king of roaring waters- 
Pour on, pour on thou queen of pouring waters- 
Such heavy thunders in thy roarings ! 
Such endless wonders m thy pourings ! 

( As we walk over the long iron bridge to Goat Island.) 

Leap on, leap on thou king of leaping waters- 
Sweep on, sweep on thou queen of sweeping waters- 
Such mighty tossings in thy leapings ! 
Such sightly glossings in thy sweepings ! 



( As we rest among the rocks and trees on the Three Sister Islands. ) 
Sound on, sound on thou king of sounding waters- 
Bound on, bound on thou queen of bounding waters- 
Such soothing sweetness in thy soundings ! 
Such wooing neatness in thy boundings ! 



12 SUBLIME NIAGARA 



( As we study the contending Kapids along the west side of Goat Island. ) 

Drive on, drive on thou king of driving waters — 
Strive on, strive on thou queen of striving waters — 

Such royal turnings in thy drivings ! 

Such loyal yearnings in thy strivings ! 

( As we stand on the smooth foundation rocks of the Old Tower, at tlie 
verge of the great Horseshoe Fall.) 

Plunge on, plunge on thou king of plunging waters — 
Lunge on, lunge on thou queen of lunging waters — 

Such ponderous slowness in thy plunging ! 

Such wonderous boldness in thy lungings ! 

( As we look down from the grassy verge of Luna Island. ) 

Wend on, wend ow thou king of wending waters — 
Blend on, blend on thou queen cf blending waters — 

Such winding chasms in thy wendings ! 

Such shining fathoms in thy blend ings ! 

( As we sit on the rocks of the Canadian Shore in a sunny day.) 

Beam on, beam on thou king of beaming waters — 
Stream on, stream on thou queen of streaming waters- 
Such showers of brightness in thy beamings ! 
Such towers of whiteness in thy streau'^ings ! 

( As we approach Prospect Point in the Amerian Park.) 

Jar on, jar on thou king of jarring waters — 
Mar on, mar on thou queen of marring waters — 

Such rumbling deepness i]\ thy jarrings ! 

Such humbling steepness in thy marrings ! 

( As we look over the trembling wall at Prospect Point.) 

Pound on, pound on thou king of pounding waters — 
Mound on, mound on thou queen of mounding waters- 
Such anvil chorals in thy poundings ! 
Such grand memorials in thy moundings ! 



SUBLIME NIAGARA. 



( As we enter the Cave of the Wnids on Goat Island.) 

Crash on, crash on thou king of crash hi g waters — 
Dash on, dash on thou queen of dashing waters — 

Such tangled echoes in thy crash i n gs ! 

Such spangled haloes in thy dashings ! 

(As we linger on the quivering wire bridge, one hundred and ninety feet 
above the purified river below.) 

Roam on, roam on thou king of roaming waters — 
Foam on, foam on thou queen of foaming waters — 

Such playful rollings in thy roamings ! 

Such graceful scrollings in thy foamings. 

( As we sit quietly on the beautiful river banks, about one mile below the 
Falls on the American side.) 

Move on, move on thou king of moving waters — 
Groove on, groove on thou queen of grooving waters — 

Such awful grandeur in thy movings ! 

Such walls of splendor in thy groovings ! 

( As we view the Whirlpool Rapids from below the elevator.) 

Go on, go on thou king of going waters — 
Flow on, flow on thou queen of flowing waters — 

Such piling billows in thy goings ! 

Such smiling pillows in thy flowings ! 

(As we stroll along the steep banks of the Whirlpool, toward a large overhang- 
ing pine, that stands three hundred and fifty fest above tbe water. ) 

Whirl on, whirl on thou king of whirling waters — 
Swirl on, swirl on thou queen of swirling waters — 

Such peerless surgings in thy whirlings ! 

Such fearless mergings in thy swirlings ! 

Seeth on, seeth on thou king of seething waters — 
Wreathe on, wreathe on thou queen of wreathing waters- 
Such boiling acres in thy seethings ! 
Such coiling breakers in thy wreathings ! 



14 SUBLIME NIAGARA. 

(As we sit on the rocks with our feet at the waters' edge of the Whirlpool Outlet.) 

Rush on, rush on thou king of rushing waters — 
Blush on, bkish on thou queen of blushing waters — 

Such matchless gradings in thy rushings ! 

Such rapturous shadings in thy blushings ! 

( Our parting reflections.) 

Chime on, chime on thou king of chiming waters — 
Rhyme on, rhyme on thou queen of rhyming waters — 

Such holy pleasures in thy chimings ! 

Such lowly measures in thy rhymings ! 

Chide on, chide on thou king of chiding waters — 
Glide on, glide on thou queen of gliding waters — 

Such timely warnings in thy chidings ! 

Such fine adornings in thy glidings ! 

Fall on, fall on thou king of falling waters — 
Call on,, call on thou queen of calling waters — 

Such massive speedings in thy fallings ! 

Such passive pleadings in thy callings ! 

Praise on, praise on thou king of praising waters — 
Haze on, haze on thou queen of hazing waters — 

Such plain old stories in thy praisings ! 

Such rain-bow glories in thy hazings ! 

Farewell, farewell thou king of preaching waters — 
Farewell, farewell thou queen of teaching waters — 
Such awe Divine in all thy preachings. 
No words of mine can voice thy teachings. 



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